Beverly Villeneuve gets 5 years for 2015 Ndilo stabbing death

An N.W.T. judge has sentenced a Ndilo woman to a five-year prison term for stabbing her partner to death in June 2015.

Beverly Villeneuve pleaded guilty to manslaughter for stabbing 67-year-old Archie Paulette at the home they shared after an afternoon of drinking.

Villeneuve says she still doesn't know why she did it, and has no recollection of stabbing Paulette.

Crown and defence lawyers jointly asked for the five-year sentence, which Justice Louise Charbonneau accepted.

During her decision, handed down Monday, Charbonneau called it an "understatement" to say Villeneuve's life has been traumatic up to this point.

The judge described how Villeneuve hid under tables as a young girl as she watched her parents fight. She said alcohol has been a constant companion.

Charbonneau gave Villeneuve 28 months credit for the time she's already served, leaving her with two years and eight months remaining on her sentence.

Archie Paulette's sister Susan Chaffee prayed in the courtroom while Justice Charbonneau read out the sentence.

Chaffee said she warned Villeneuve and her brother that drinking would lead them to violence, or worse.

"I told them, you guys have got to quit drinking. One of you is going under six feet or one of you is going to go to jail or both of you are going to get hurt."

Chaffee blames alcohol for her brother's death, which has left her without any family.

"I'm all left alone, I'm just by myself. I got no brothers, no sisters, no uncles, no nothing. She took all who I got left."